Avacado 1600 wagon

[Stoney]

So, I'm finally back in another Datto 1600, this time its a wagon.

 

I'd say its a rotten watermelon, but there's no pink bits inside (yet) so I'll go with Avacado, as that's the paint code I found on a tin of household paint in the boot.

Picked it up locally to me in NSW, Australia, running and registered, but needing a lot of work.

Stock suspension, stock brakes, plenty of basic rust repairs and plenty more rust repairs required, but it has a freshly rebuilt L20B with 180B SSS carbs on it, with a dogleg 5 speed behind it.

 

I have already replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders and fitted an Xtreme clutch kit, the beefier version with 685kg clamp force.

 

I have a pair of Toyota 86 front bucket seats, i'm in the process of fitting, quite easy too!

 

I figure this will always be an ugly duckling in this shade of green, so why not accentuate the look, do some rust repairs on the main parts like the roof gutters and treat the surface rust on the floors, then wet sand the paintjob, which looks and feels like it was applied with a paint roller and $5 spray gun, and get the paint to a smooth to touch feel, or even go all out and bring out some Faux Patina style look to it by sanding through the layers of paint, very undecided with the looks side of things yet, also not too important.

 

As for suspension and wheels, this will be the bit that'll change the look of it, so I am currently sourcing some R31 skyline struts, basically a newer version of the 280zx style, and will be salvaging some S13 coilovers for parts, combine the two for my initial simple coilover setup and if it works, then source the right spring rates and length to suit.
I'll flip a leaf in the rear suspension and see how that turns out.

 

Wheels will be 15" x 7" or 8" give or take, really depends on what I get my hands on at the time.

 

As for the taillights, I think they are US spec with an amber len that has been fitted to them here in Aus, after an accident apparently

 

 

 

 

Rust issues

 

[Lockleaf]

Sweet wagon. I like it. Mine is more of a pea soup green.

 

I don't think those are US spec tail lights. Ours have a clear lens on back for the reverse lights. Maybe some kind of Euro spec, or maybe just a different year from what I've seen here.

 

This is my U.S. stock taillight.

[tr8er]

That is quite nice!

 

 

You really need a proper number though imo

[Stoney]

That is quite nice!

 

 

You really need a proper number though imo

 

Number? Or rear bumper? Cause that monstrosity that's currently on there is going in the bin as soon as I find a replacement

[banzai510(hainz)]

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tr8er]

Bumper sorry

[edekalil]

Love the right side drive. Great.

[Draker]

Nice wagon!!

[Stoney]

So as usual with my projects, I get completely sidetracked.

Instead of finishing off fitting the Toyota 86 seats, which I'm waiting on a passenger side sliding rail to complete, or fixing the door hinges and handles, I've started looking at why the headlights only half worked.

Massive hack job with extra wires ran from the original headlight relay, other wires just terminated, even an earth spliced into the high beam wiring once I back traced it with the loom tape removed.

So I started labeling all the wires, working out what I will add to the loom, what i'll remove, how to wire tuck some of it too, so i'll draw up a basic diagram once I find and compare it to a decent quality factory wiring diagram, then I'll remove the engine bay loom up to the fuse panel, and either look at fixing/modifying what is there or replacing it, pretty sure I will be replacing it all though.

Current changes I have in mind to the loom will be:
 -Relocate the battery to under the back seat in a cut out floor box, or put it in the boot in a box, or at least make the wiring loom have a power distribution block so I can do that at a later date.
 -Removal of the Ext Voltage Regulator, plus the addition of an IR alternator from an R31/TB42 etc
 -Source an R33 starter motor or rebuild the original one, plus neater wires to it
 -Run a proper relay setup for the horn and delete the original setup
 -Run a proper relay setup for the headlights, shamelessly copying Turbovans diagram, I will locate the headlight/horn relays on the radiator support as well, and look at running those wires through the inner guard for a small wire tuck
 -Extra wires added for oil pressure gauge, water temp gauge.
 -Extra wire for the electronic dizzy, removal of the ballast resistor as well as an extra wire for the addition of a tachometer in the future (if desired)
 -Relocate new MSD Blaster II coil to the radiator support
 -Washer bottle relocation to behind the strut tower, and wiring changes to suit
 -Will be doing basic wire tucking and running all the wires in the plastic sheath, but if I can get a hold of some braid cover I'll use that instead with heatshrink, that was how I wired a universal ViPec ecu into my mates RB25 equipped S13. I will also add a few connectors for a quick disconnect of the whole loom near the stock fuse panel

This is a bit more extreme than I had planned, but I may as well do it right, fix all the problems and neaten it all up all at the same time.

[Duncan]

I have an Aussie-spec wagon here in the States, and I have done about 95% or so of your list to mine.  (The wiring on mine was an absolute nightmare)

 

Great minds think alike!

[Stoney]

I have just about completed a total engine bay rewire.

 

It's running again and mostly rewrapped, got over it temporarily and bought another car to fix up and sell, which is what I do on the side to keep my "toy" bank account topped up.

I fitted a GC8 wrx subaru alternator, my mate had a spare one, pretty well bolted up, I've run all new wiring for the headlights inc new relays, horn relay, starter motor relay, extra wires for the gauges, extra wire for a tach signal, deleted the ext VR setup, run wiring through the inner guard cavity where the bonnet release cable runs, wiring for the wiper motor is now run inside the car and I will just holesaw an appropriate size in the firewall under the wiper motor with a rubber grommet.

Relocated the coil to the rad support, same with the headlight relays, rewrapped half the looom in braided sheath I had, the rest in electrical tape, I kinda stuffed up and had already run all the wires and terminated them off with plugs and connectors before wrapping them, so unless I cut off most connectors, it would have been impossible to wrap the whole loom in the braided sheath.

Rebuilt my RHF drivers door hinges, only to find out the upper hinge says LHS on it, thinking or hoping it would be alright I fitted the new bushes only to work out upon reassembly that it must have a slightly different pivot angle on it, making it near impossible to tighten up without making the door not open properly, so now on the hunt for the correct hinge.

Got a new steering wheel and gearknob and the old ones were trashed, tidies up the interior, also sourced a set of Nissan S15 dash vents to replace the stock ones, pointless but cool never the less. I will also soon remove and repair the cracked dash skin.